VanDyke Software

Tips

How to Print to a Text File with SecureCRT®

This tip explains how to print a text
file from SecureCRT using a Windows Generic/Text Only configured printer.

There are any number of times when it is useful to be able to print to
a text file from SecureCRT:

You need to send a report generated by your billing software as an
email attachment, and your billing software only generates printed
reports using pass-through printing.

You need to print a hard copy of a specific, time-sensitive report
and your printer is temporarily inoperable.

You have a UNIX application that can generate PostScript output using
pass-through printing, but your printer cannot handle PostScript.

You need to capture the output as a file that can be shipped to a colleague
in another department where the file can be printed.

Although you can't print directly to a text file from SecureCRT, you
can configure SecureCRT to print to a Windows Generic/Text Only configured
printer. Below are the steps necessary to set up the ability to print
to a text file. These instructions assume that you are using Windows XP,
and the steps may vary from computer to computer.

Add a new Generic/Text Only configured printer:

In the Windows Control Panel and open Printers and Faxes.

Click on Add a Printer to start the Add Printer Wizard.
Click Next.

Select "Local printer attached to this computer". Click Next.

In the Use the following port entry box, select FILE.
Click Next".

Select Generic as the Manufacturer and Generic/Text
Only as the Printer. Click Next.

If prompted, you may wish to select Keep Existing Driver.

Give the printer a name and click Next. When asked if
you want to use this printer as the default printer, select Yes
or No depending upon your needs.

Do not share the printer unless you want someone to be able to add
files to your computer. Click Next.

Select Yes to print a test page. Click Next.

Review your settings. If the settings are correct, click Finish.

Specify a path and filename for the test page. Click OK.

Verify that the printer test page file is there.

Configure SecureCRT print to a Generic/Text Only
configured printer:

In SecureCRT you can either print to the file for all sessions or
just for particular sessions.

To print to file in all sessions open Global Options / Printing
and click Print Setup.

Select the Generic/Text Only printer in the drop down box and click
OK.

To print to file for only a particular session, open Session Options for that session and follow the same steps as above.

When you connect to a session and try to print, you should be prompted
with a Print to File popup window that asks for the filename.
Be sure to specify the full path to the file that you want to print
to.